Fluid pressure generation



Oct. 7, 1941.

R. M. NARDONE FLUID PRESSURE GENERATION Filed Sept. 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Romeo /V done BY wif wd Oct. 7, 1941. R. M. NARDONE 2,258,161

FLUID PRESSURE GENERATION Filed Sept. 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. I Romeo M. Nardo/ve Patented Oct. 7, 1941 FLUID PRESSURE GENERATION Romeo M. Nardone, East Orange, N. 1., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend,

11111., a corporation of Delaware Application September 12, 1940, Serial No. 356,541

8' Claims.

This invention relates to fluidpressure generation, and particularly to the generation of pressure fluid by the ignition of explosive material confined in a suitable container or cartridge,

which pressure fluid may, upon generation, be applied to an engine starting mechanism (or other servo-motor) to produce energization thereof.

I An object of the invention is to provide a novel cartridge housing or breech mechanism including a novel control of the opening, closing and locksidual gases in the breech chamber may escape,

while the cartridge casing itself remains securely held within the mechanism due to the lack of a full opening through which expulsion could occur. In this connection a feature of the invention-is the utilization of the residual fluid presbreech block;

sure itself as the means for establishing a venting path around the cartridge casing, in response to an unlocking and partial opening of the breech.

.This mode of releasing residual pressure has the important advantage of being effective without the need of special valve means, as has heretofore been resorted to for corresponding venting purposes. (See, for example, the valve 68 of the Coffman patent No. 2,164,700, and the valve I04 of my patent No. 2,207,936.)

These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent upon examination of the following specification and the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment thereof. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are merely illustrative of the invention and that they are intended to cover equivalent embodiments falling within the invention scope as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a breech mechanism embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation showing one end of the breech mechanism, with the breech block swung to the full open position with respect to the breech proper or barrel;

cessive stages of movement of the operating handle and the effect thereof 7 Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are elevation views showing th locking head of the breech lock in successive stages of operation and its relationship to the cooperating portions of the breech frame'during the said successive stages of operation;

Figs. 8, 9' and 10 are views at right angles to the viewpoint of Figs. 5, 6 and"! showing the parts in the relationships depicted in Figs 5, 6 and 7, respectively;

Fig. 11 is a central sectionalview through the Fig. 12 is a view in elevation of a portion of the switch mechanism shown in Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 is another view in elevation of said switch mechanism but with the parts in different relative positions.

In the drawings, reference character I 5 indicates the barrel or cartridge receiving'portion of the breech, reference character IS the breech burning chamber in which the gases are generated, and from which they pass through a suitable outlet, Ilia, to the point of use; reference character I! designates a substantial rectangular frame portion in which the barrel I5 terminates at one end, and reference character i8 designates the breech block as a whole, the said block being pivotally mounted in the frame I! along the axis of the bearing elements, one of which is indicated at i9 in Figs. 1 and 2. The breech block is in turn provided with bearing surfaces to receive a locking pin rotatable therein and terminating in leg 23 and in such relationshlpthereto that no movement between the breech block 18 on the one hand, and the breech frame I! on the other, is possible, and therefore the barrel I! of the breech is completely sealed by the tight contact existing between the barrel mouth 28, and the sealing lip 29 in this position. This is, of course,

in view illustrating the sucthe operating or firing position; the firing of the cartridge being effected by the electrical contact mechanism to be described hereinafter, which contact mechanism becomes operative automatically in this fully locked position as will hereinafter he explained.

After the firing operation has occurred, with that the cartridge shell might be expelled with considerable velocity by reason of the pressure that might remain in the forward portion of the barrel due to residual gases therein, which pressure could conceivably react upon the cartridge shell to expel it forceably past the open breech block and therefore into contact with the breech operator or other'person who might happen to be occupying the position directly behind the open breech. To prevent this occurrence the present invention provides means whereby the breech block may be flung to a position which,

a while permitting escape of any such residual gases and the partial dislodgement of the cartridge shell, will at the same time prevent a complete dislodgement thereof; the complete dislodgement being delayed until the operator reverses the direction of rotation of the operating handle 22such reversal being at the same time made dependent upon a preceding linear shifting of the handle-wherefore there is necessarily involved a time interval of suflicient duration to assure the escape of all residual gases and therefore the release-of any such pressures as would cause a forceable ejection of the shell with sufficient velocity to injure any person in the vicinity. Referring to Fig. 4 it will beseen that.

the position of the handle indicated by the reference character I represents diagrammatically the fully locked position of the breech, in which position the locking head 2| is in relationship to the retainer leg 23 asindicated in Figs. 5 and 8. Movement of the handle from this position I to position 2 brings the locking head 2| into the relationship indicated in Figs. 6 and 9. When in this position it is possible to draw the handle backwardly as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 4 from the position labeled 2 to the position labeled 3. During such backward movement the locking head 2| passes downwardly as viewed in Fig. 9 from the position therein to a lower position, the extent of such backward movement.

being indicated by the two lines labeled 2 and I in Fig. 9. This is of course not a downward movement as viewed in Fig. 1 but actually a movement to the right sufiiciently to establish a gap betwen the sealing ring 29 of the breech block and the barrel mouth 28, and sufficiently also to permit the ejector arm 33 and 34 of the associated fingers 36 and 31 to lift the cartridge shell from its seat on the mouth 28 of the barrel and thereby establish a circumferential path around said shell through which any residual gases may escape to the atmosphere by reason of the slight gap between the breech block and the barrel frame. Before this gap increases, however, it will be necessary to swing the barrel lever 22 from the position indicated in Fig. 6 to the position indicated in Fig. 7, for until this is done the beveled portion 4| of the locking head 2| will not clear the beveled lip 42 which is shown as formed on the second dependent leg of the frame i1 at a point'approximately 180 degrees opposite the retainer leg 23. During such swing of the handle there is no further opening movement of the breech block. but when such swing has been complete-in other words when the handle reaches the position diagrammatically indicated at 4 in Fig. 4. The breech block may then be carried backward and upward, by the exertion of pressure in a corresponding direction by the lever 22, and into the full open position indicated in Fig. 2. From this full open position a further upward swing (through the angle indicated at E in Fig. 2) will actuate the ejector arms 23 and 34 to lift the shell out, there being no remaining pressure behind the shell as all gases have previously escaped during the time in- A terval elapsing between the movement of the handle from position 2 (Fig. 4) successively to positions 3 and 4. It will be observed that each of these movements is in a diiferent direction and therefore necessitates a delay on the part of the operator, the human reflexes being such that a person cannot possibly effect these several changes in direction of muscular exertion without necessarily involving a time delay suillcient to permit the escape of all residual gases in the barrel l5.

As heretofore noted the cartridge which is placed in the barrel l5 when the breech block is in the open position indicated at Fig. 2, is adapted to be fired automatically upon closure of the breech block, and the swinging of the handle 22 to the locked position shown in Figs. 5 and 8 also diagrammatically at l in Fig. 4. As shown, the firing mechanism includes a pair of contact elements 5| and 52, the former being registrable with an insulated seat in a conductor 53 (Figs. 1 and 3) extending through the upper portion of the breech frame "and adapted to be placed in circuit with a suitable source of low voltage current, not shown, while the contact 52 is adapted to complete the circuit through the metallic portions of the cartridge shell in substantially the manner indicated in my Patent No. 2,207,936 above referred to, the connection between the pins II and 52 being provided for in such manner as to operate to establish such connection only when the operating lever 22 is swung to the locking position of Fig. 5. When in said locking position it is disposed horizontally, as indicated both in Fig. 5 and in Fig. 12, and in moving to this horizontal position from th position indicated in Fig. 13 it causes the breeching eleinent I which is of suitable current-conducting material, to move from the position indicated in Fig. 13 to the position indicated in Fig. 12, in which position it establishes a current path between th pin 5| and pin 52, the relationship being also indicated in Fig. 11. To produce such movement the connecting element 6| is shown as pivotally supported upon the bearing surface of the pin 52, the latter being mounted in the insulating block 84, and the lower portion of the elementjl is extending to cooperate with a depression in an actuating disk or cam 66 of insulating material, which is actuated by the arm 22 to be rotated thereby about the bearing socket 61 of the breech block in which the said'arm 22 and disk 66 are journaled by suitable means as indicated at 68. Upon unlocking of the breech block the contact element 6| will of course be swung back to the position indicated in Fig. 13, thereby rendering the firing cartridge and the relocking of the breech. A

spring 69 is mounted in a recess in the breech block and is suitably insulated therein, as indicated at I I, the purpose of the spring being to insure good 'contactbetween the pin 52 and the barrel end is sufficiently exposed t removal of the cartridge. 3.'In combination with an open ended cartween in the form of the arcuate slo't I2 the limits of which are indicated by dash lines in Figs. 12, and 13 and the length of which slot is such that the arm 22 causes movement of the disk only when it has arrived within approximately or 15 degrees of its full locked position; the disk 66 being frictionally held against move-. ment until such time by suitable detent means as indicated at H engageable with a stationary portion of the block. What is claimed is: 1. In combination with an open ended cartridge containing barrel, means for closing said barrel, said means comprising a hinged breech block pivotally mounted on said barrel, means for holding said breech block in a position in which the barrel is vented at its open end, while the cartridg remains imprisoned in the barrel, said ing relationship to the open end of said breech barrel, and cooperating means on said breech block and barrel for delaying the full exposure holding means comprising a locking element which the barrel is vented at its open end, while the cartridge remains imprisoned in the barrel, said holding means comprising a locking element pivotally mounted on said breech block, and means integral with said barrel for necessitating a movement of said-locking element first in one direction and then in another before the allow the tridge containing barrel, means for closing said barrel, said means comprising a hinged breechbIock pivotally mounted on said barrel, means for holding said breech block in a position in which the barrel is vented at its open end, while the cartridge remains imprisoned in the barrel, said holding means comprising a retainer leg deof said locking element just in one direction and thenin another before the barrel end is suflicientof the open end of the barrel; after partial opening of the breech block, said last-named means including a locking head on said breech block and a retainer leg depending from said barrel and blocking complete release of said locking head after such partial opening of the breech block. 1

5. In combination with an open ended breech barrel, a hinged breech block movable into sealing relationship to the open end of said breech seals the open end of the barrel to a position which fully exposes said open end, and means integral with the barrel for requiring changes in I the direction of movement of said lever between one extreme position and the other, thereby re tarding the complete opening cycle.

6. In combination with an open ended breech barrel, a hinged. breech block movable into sealing relationship to the open end of said breech barrel, cooperating means on said breech block and barrel for delaying the full exposure of the open end of the barrel, after partial opening of the breech block, said last-named means including a lever pivotally mounted on said breech block, to swing said block from a position which seals the open end of the barrel to a position which fully exposes said open end, and means integral with the barrel for limiting the free swing of said lever, in each direction of movement'thereof, to a distance that is less than suflicient to fully expose the open end of the barrel.

In combination with an-open ended breech barrel having a lock retainer leg depending therefrom, a breech block for, closing the open end of said barrel, and means on said breech block for cooperation with said retainerleg to hold said breech block in position to seal said open end of the barrel, said'means further operating to delay full exposure of said open end.

8. In combination with an open ended breech barrel having a lock retainer leg depending therefrom, a breech block for closing the open end of said barrel, and means on said breech block for cooperation with said retainer leg to hold said breech block in position to seal said open end of the barrel, said means further including interfering surfaces on said breech block and retainer leg which impede progress of the breech block from the barrel sealing position back to the position of full barrel exposure.

ROMEO M. NARDONE. 

